Haunted
by Hikari-san42
Summary: Alvin goes too far one day and Dave, Simon, and Theodore plot revenge... But what does a ghost have to do with it?


**This is just a shot little oneshot I wrote for Kitty Seville because she's been such a good friend for me lately. (Even though she refuses to write something that I've been waiting for for the past... one... two... about a week and a half. (Long story)). **

**Anyway, hope you enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Ross Bagdasarian, but the plot belongs to me. **

* * *

_**Haunted**_

"Hahaha!" Alvin laughed to himself as he tip-toed down the stairs to Simon's lab. He skirted around the busted time machine in the corner and padded his way toward the wooden table with test tubes and vials labeled with words that Alvin couldn't pronounce. There was something bubbling on a Bunsen burner and Alvin sniffed it apprehensively. He stumbled backward when the most horrible odor hit his nostrils and he rubbed his nose in an attempt to get rid of the smell.

When the smell was gone, Alvin quickly switched off the burner and he carelessly set the glass vial that held the bubbling liquid on the table. He looked around once more before grabbing a random vial with a red powder in it and tore the label off. He then snatched up another vial and ripped the label off as well. He slapped the first label onto the second jar and the second one on the first one, thus switching the labels.

"Simon will never suspect a thing…" He mumbled as he set the jars back down. He grabbed the glass vial that had been resting on the Bunsen burner and placed it back where he had found it, not noticing that black mark it left on the table. He then made his way back up the stairs and into the kitchen, closing the door quietly behind him.

--

A few hours later, Simon descended the stairs to check on his experiment. He had left it simmering on the burner and it had to be done by now.

He carefully made his way through the room, trying not to step on any of the stray wires that littered the floor. When he made it to the table, he grabbed his lab coat off the peg and slipped it on before grabbing some tongs and pulling the simmering liquid out of the path of the open flame. He set it carefully on the table, using a hot pad to keep the wood from catching on fire, and set the tongs down.

Simon looked around for the one thing he needed to complete this experiment: powder labeled magnesium.

"Gottcha!" He yelled out quietly as he snatched up a red powder. "Hmmm." He hummed as he turned the jar around in his hand. "I don't remember it being red…" He shrugged after a few more seconds of observation and scooped out a teaspoon.

Simon licked his lips as he held the powder over the boiling substance in the vial. If he got this wrong, the concoction would blow up all over him, but, he decided, it was a risk he was willing to take. And, with that thought in his mind, he turned over the teaspoon and let the red powder drop into the vial.

--

Throughout the whole neighborhood you could hear the small pop as a mini explosion went off in Simon's lab. The block that the Seville household was located on shook a little, but the rest of the world was unaware of the disaster that had just happened in Simon's lab.

Simon coughed violently as he waved away the smoke that had collected in the basement of his large house. His fur and hair had been slightly singed, and he was a little blackened around the edges, but, other than that, he was fine. He coughed again as he stumbled into the staircase and carefully made his way up, trying to see through his soot streaked glasses.

When he managed to open the door, he fell forward and caught himself before he hit the ground.

"Simon?!" He heard Dave's voice and looked up, his gray eyes clouded at his failure. Dave rushed over and dropped to his knees. He helped Simon back to his feet and looked his son over. "What happened?"

Simon coughed again before answering. "My… experiment… failed…" He said, forcing each word out through his teeth as he stumbled forward, toward the stairs.

Dave watched his middle son make his way slowly up the stairs. He met Theodore halfway up, and he heard the small boy's voice inquire quietly what had happened. Simon gave the same answer that he had before and Theodore helped him up the rest of the ways up the stairs.

--

When the smoke had cleared from the basement, via air conditioning vent, Dave decided to investigate.

He picked his way down the stairs as carefully as possible. When he made it to the bottom, he saw that everything was as it had always been. There was just a black ring around the table where the vial had exploded. The ceiling was slightly charred and Dave filed that away to think about later.

He stepped over a few piece of glass that littered the floor and made his way around the table. Once he was on the other side, he examined everything on the table.

Everything seemed to be in order… Wait a minute. He stopped when he saw that jar with the red powder tipped over on the table. He stuck his finger in it and sniffed it slightly before crushing it between his fingers.

He grabbed the jar that had fallen over and read the label on it: Magnesium. Hmm… That was strange; he didn't remember ever learning that magnesium was red… On a hunch, he started to search for a powder that looked like magnesium.

After about five seconds, he found it. The white powder was in a vial labeled mercury sulfide.

Dave sighed and shook his head. It wasn't like Simon to mis-label something. Unless…

Unless, Simon had labeled this jar correctly and someone had switched the labels… Dave scooped as much of the red powder he could back into the vial labeled magnesium and grabbed the jar with the words mercury sulfide on it. He quickly mounted the stairs, taking them two at a time until he managed to push his way through the door. He then picked up the pace and climbed up the next set of stairs to the second floor of his house, passing Alvin on his way back down.

When the red capped boy saw what Dave was carrying, his blue eyes flashed with alarm and Dave narrowed his eyes slightly at Alvin. The middle sized Chipmunk seemed to notice his mistake and he smiled uneasily at Dave before jumping up onto the banister and sliding the rest of the way back down.

The adult simply shook his head and continued up the stairs, telling himself that he would deal with Alvin later.

Dave turned the corner and pushed the door to the boys' room open with his shoulder, careful not to spill the two powers in his hands.

"Simon," he commanded when he saw the middle aged chipmunk mopping on his bed. Theodore was trying to talk to him, but Simon ignored him each time the small boy asked a question. "What is this?" He held out the white powder, careful to keep the label hidden where Simon couldn't see it, and Simon sniffed before answering. "It's magnesium, why?"

"And this?" Dave held up the vial containing the red powder and Simon winced when he saw it. "T-that's mercury sulfide." He slapped his palm to his forehead and fell back onto the bed. "How could I be so _stupid_?!"

Dave raised an eyebrow and looked at Theodore for an explanation. The green clad Chipmunk simply shrugged and looked at Simon, waiting for an answer.

"I was so caught up in making the experiment work that I didn't really pay attention to the powder I was pouring in. I just listened to the labels." Simon explained as he threw an arm over his eyes.

Dave looked at Simon sadly before turning the jars around. "That's funny, because, this label isn't exactly centered." He pointed at the one on the magnesium bottle.

Simon bolted upward. He always centered his labels, in an effort to make sure that Alvin didn't change labels on him… Oh…

"Alvin." Simon growled out as he jumped off of his bed, all that sadness and disappointment that he had been feeling rushed out of him to be replaced by one need: revenge.

He started toward the door, having every intention of tearing Alvin apart, but Dave stopped him.

"Wait. I have an idea."

Simon turned around slowly while Theodore looked up at Dave expectantly.

"I don't usually like to do this type of thing, but Alvin has gone too far this time…"

Simon's mouth dropped open in shock and Theodore carefully pushed it closed before looking back at Dave.

"What is it?!" He asked excitedly as he jumped up and down. He had seen how down Simon was after his experiment had failed and he wanted to help his brother in any way he could.

Dave smiled mischievously before bending down to the boys' level and speaking in a hushed tone.

--

Later that day, Alvin was sitting watching television in the living room, none the wiser to the planning that had happened that morning. He flipped the channels slowly, not really focusing on the screen. His hat lay on the couch beside him, and his eyes kept falling shut because of the all-nighter he had pulled the night before.

"Hey, Alvin." Alvin heard Theodore's voice and his eyes flew open. He looked upward and saw the small boy standing before him. Simon was standing right behind him, his eyes looking over the top of the couch at something on the other side of the room. "Whatcha watching?"

Alvin leaned around to look around Theodore. "Ghost Catchers, why?"

"Very interesting choice, Alvin," Simon broke in before Theodore could answer.

Alvin shrugged in response and flipped the channel to Nickelodeon. "Not really, there's no such thing as ghosts."

Simon's eyes flashed upward, but Alvin didn't get the chance to say anything about it because the blue clad chipmunk continued to speak.

"Actually, Alvin, there are rumors floating around that this very house is haunted."

Theodore looked up at Simon, feeding on his certainty. "Really?" He squeaked.

Simon nodded. "Yep. They say a woman killed herself in this very house."

"Why?" Theodore asked as he made his green eyes widen.

Simon shook his head. "No one knows. But they say her soul still lives here; still waiting for her husband."

Theodore looked up at Simon, horror clear on his face. "What?!" He squeaked out, jumping up on the couch next to Alvin.

Alvin rolled his eyes at Simon's lame story telling skills. "Yeah, Theodore. Her name was Catlin and her husband left her for another woman. She's still sore about it and they say that she kept something of his that he would want back. That's why she still waits; she wants to give it back to him, personally."

As soon as Alvin finished speaking, thunder clapped in the distance. He nodded to himself at the nice – yet unexpected – sound affect. "It's nights like these that she stirs the most. She looks for her husband every time it rains, because he disappeared into the rain." As if to agree with this statement, lightning lit up the room and the windows shook with the force of the wind as a storm blew in. And, soon, all three could hear the pitter-patter of rain on the ceiling.

Theodore whimpered slightly and dug his head in Alvin's shoulder. Simon moved forward and pulled him off the couch. "C'mon," He urged as he pushed the small boy up the stairs, "let's get ready for bed."

Alvin moved to follow him, but something stopped him as he glimpsed something flash across the room, lit up by a sudden burst of lightning.

He shrugged it off and followed his brothers up the stairs to get ready for bed.

--

Later that night, Alvin couldn't fall asleep. The story he had made up danced around is head like a hundred clumsy ballerinas. Every time something creaked in the house, he would sit up and shine his flashlight through the room in an attempt to get rid of whatever was out there.

In the beds on either side of him, Theodore and Simon slept like babies, snoring slightly in their sleep. Thunder cracked right outside of the window and Theodore whimpered slightly before turning over and settling back down. Soon, his breathing was even once again.

Something in the kitchen creaked and Alvin flipped the flashlight on so quickly that it flew out of his hand from the force of his fingers hitting the switch. He watched as the shaft of plastic and light flew right toward Simon. The yellow thing clunked Simon in the head and the tallest Chipmunk shot upward.

He grabbed the flashlight and turned in off in one swift movement. The room was plunged into darkness and Alvin shivered slightly as a gust of wind hit the window.

"Simon," He hissed through his teeth as he glanced between the direction his brother was in and the window, "turn the flashlight back on."

"Why?"

"I keep hearing noises."

That got Simon to turn the light back on and he shined it straight into Alvin's face.

"What?"

Alvin rolled his eyes and slid off his bed. He moved toward Simon and grabbed the flashlight before slipping back into his own bed and pulling the covers over his head. "Never mind, go back to sleep."

Alvin heard Simon cluck his tongue against his teeth and the lamp on Simon's bedside table flipped on.

"There's nothing out there, Alvin."

"Who said there was?"

Simon scoffed slightly and Alvin heard him drop to the floor. He padded over to Alvin in his slippers and held his hand out. "Gimme the flashlight."

Alvin looked at Simon with narrowed eyes. "Why?"

Simon rolled his gray eyes toward the ceiling and made a rude noise at the back of his throat. "Because, you keep flashing that light around the room. I'm going to give you some peace of mind and go down stairs and check things out. Then, maybe, I can get a good night's sleep."

Alvin cocked an eyebrow but let Simon take the still activated flashlight. He padded over to the door and opened it before slipping though, Alvin's flashlight disappearing with him.

Alvin sat in the silence for a few seconds before cringing when another burst of lightning lit up the window. A few minutes later, a crack of thunder shook the window panes and Theodore moaned in his sleep.

Just as Alvin was about to get out of bed to find Simon, he heard something that made his blood run cold.

"Alvin!" It was Simon's voice and it was laced with fright. Alvin dived under his covers without thinking and he shook slightly as the sound of Simon's voice died down.

"Alvin?" A few minutes later, Alvin heard Theodore's voice from across the room and he peeked his head out. "W-was that Simon?"

Alvin nodded slightly and Theodore's green eyes widened. He slipped out from under his green covers and moved toward the door. "I'm going to find him."

Alvin's mouth dropped open. Theodore? Going out into the dark house?

He didn't get a chance to question Theodore, for the small boy had already slid out the door and down the stairs. Alvin gulped slightly when he heard the rain pick up and he silently wished that his brothers would come back.

After a few more minutes of wallowing in his own fright, Alvin made up his mind to get out of bed. He tumbled out and moved across the room, flipping on the light when he got to the door.

He then moved out into the hallway and turned on that light too, making sure that the door to Dave's room was shut tight.

He padded down the stairs and he felt a chill go through him when his bare feet his the hard wood floor at the bottom. "Simon, Theodore!" He called as he made his way toward the living room, flipping the switch for the lights on as he went.

But, as he made his way into the room, lightning flashed across the sky outside and the lights in the house flickered and died. Alvin's eyes widened and he froze, his left foot still in the air.

He took a few deep breaths to calm his quickening heart, closed his eyes, and gulped down the spit that had collected in his mouth. When he re-opened his blue orbs, they had adjusted to the darkness and he could make out the familiar shapes of the room. He moved forward again, continuing to call his brothers' names.

Lightning lit up the sky outside and Alvin was temporarily blinded as the light made its way into the room. He ran straight into the couch and fell onto this back.

"Alvin." He froze when he heard his name echo thought the house. It was clearly Simon's voice, but he didn't sound close.

"Simon?" Alvin called as he stood back up. He shook himself once and continued on his way through the living room.

That's when he saw it. Something was glowing on the other side of the room… Alvin stopped in his tracks and he bit his lip in fright.

But then, he heard Theodore's voice coming from the direction of the glowing. "Alvin…" He called, his high pitched voice bouncing off the walls.

Alvin gulped and moved forward around the couch. He held back a scream when he saw what was on the other side.

Theodore was the source of the glowing. He was hovering slightly off the ground and he looked down at Alvin sadly.

"I found Catlin, Alvin. She thought I was her husband. She gave me what her husband left behind." He turned and Alvin let out a squeak of fright. There, sticking out of Theodore's back was a huge hunting knife.

Alvin started to hyperventilate and he moved toward Theodore, but something grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He shut his eyes and let out a scream in fright.

Suddenly, a light flipped on over head and Alvin opened his eyes slightly. Simon was grinning at him, trying to hold back his laughter.

Alvin's eyes widened and his jaw hit the floor. He spun around just in time to see Dave untying a rope from around Theodore's waist. The small boy reached back and pulled the knife out of his back. It was plastic and didn't even have a blade, just a hilt. Theodore waved it at Alvin and the red clad boy's shoulders slumped when he realized what had just happened.

He had just been punked.

Almost automatically, his brain reacted to this embarrassment and his face flushed red. "I knew it was a joke all along."

Simon snorted and rolled his eyes. "Of course you did, and that explains why you screamed like a little girl."

Alvin crossed his arms and looked smug. "You have no proof."

Simon rolled his eyes again. "Well, since my ringing ears aren't proof enough for you; Dave!"

Suddenly, Dave appeared at Simon's side and handed the bespectacled chipmunk a video camera. He hit the play button and Alvin's scream echoed around the room.

"Gottcha!" Simon, Theodore, and Dave called out at the same time as they started to laugh.

Alvin crossed his arms and glared. "Of course, you know, this means war." And with that, he stalked up the stairs, a plan already forming in his head.

* * *

**Well, there you go. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Please review! **


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